ThinkTankWeekly

The Clarity Act Needs to Offer More Clarity

CATO | 2026-06-22 | economy

Topics: United States

Visit original source

ThinkTankWeekly provides a curated entry and summary only. Full text and PDF remain on the publisher's website.

English Summary

The article argues that while the Clarity Act is a commendable step toward defining jurisdictional lines between the SEC and CFTC for digital assets, it suffers from critical structural flaws. Key issues include definitional inconsistencies—treating ancillary assets as securities-like without proper statutory classification—and leaving the crucial transition criteria (from SEC to CFTC oversight) subject to agency discretion rather than codified law. For effective policy, Congress must address these gaps by defining ancillary assets as a distinct category, statutorily codifying the decentralization test, and inverting the current presumption so that the burden of proof rests with the regulator.

中文摘要

本文論述,儘管《清晰法案》(Clarity Act)是界定證券交易委員會(SEC)與商品期貨交易委員會(CFTC)在數位資產管轄權劃分方面的一項值得稱讚的進展,但其仍存在關鍵結構性缺陷。主要問題包括定義上的不一致——將輔助資產視為類似證券,卻缺乏適當的法定分類;以及讓至關重要的過渡標準(從SEC轉向CFTC監督)受制於機構裁量而非成文法規。為制定有效的政策,國會必須彌補這些漏洞,具體措施包括:將輔助資產定義為一個獨立類別、立法編纂去中心化測試的標準,並顛覆現行推定原則,使舉證責任轉移至監管機構。

Related Entries

  1. 1.
    2026-11-07 | defense | 2026-W45 | Topics: Indo-Pacific, Middle East, United States

    The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.

    Read at Foreign Affairs

  2. 2.
    2026-11-07 | middle_east | 2026-W45 | Topics: China, Middle East, Nuclear, Russia, Taiwan, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.

    Read at Foreign Affairs

  3. 3.
    2026-11-07 | economy | 2026-W45 | Topics: AI, China, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.

    Read at CFR

  4. 4.
    2026-11-07 | economy | 2026-W45 | Topics: United States

    The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.

    Read at Brookings

  5. 5.
    2026-11-07 | diplomacy | 2026-W45 | Topics: Climate, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The U.S. is drastically reducing core funding to multilateral institutions, withdrawing from numerous bodies due to perceived misalignment with national interests. While multilateral channels offer critical advantages—such as pooling resources for global public goods and managing risk in fragile settings—the U.S.'s funding remains heavily 'earmarked,' which effectively 'bilateralizes' the system and undermines shared burden-sharing. This practice, coupled with deep cuts, diminishes the multilateral system's effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in humanitarian aid. Policy recommendations suggest the U.S. must adopt a systematic, published strategy for aid channel choice and shift from restrictive project-level earmarking to broader thematic funding to restore global cooperation.

    Read at Brookings